Asian Para Games: Nishad Kumar leads India’s 14-medal athletics haul with double gold

India’s track and field athletes turned grit into glory on Tuesday, collecting five gold, four silver and five bronze medals at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya to take their athletics tally to 20.The 14-medal haul featured record-breaking performances, emotional comebacks and podium sweeps, proof that determination can outpace the toughest odds.Nishad Kumar stood tallest, literally and figuratively. The Himachal Pradesh high jumper cleared 2.04m to win the men’s T47 gold with a Games record, adding to the long jump title he claimed on Monday. He became only the third Indian to win two gold medals at a single Asian Para Games, joining runner Ankur Dhama and armless archer Sheetal Devi. T47 is for athletes with upper-limb impairments.Deepthi Jeevanji launched India’s gold rush by defending her women’s 400m T20 crown in a Games-record 56.36 seconds. The 23-year-old from Telangana, who has an intellectual impairment, is also a world champion and Paralympic bronze medallist. Raised by small-farmer parents in a village in Warangal, she pursued running despite social taunts directed at her family for supporting her ambitions. A school physical education teacher first spotted her talent; later, coach N Ramesh and badminton coach Pullela Gopichand helped her journey gather pace.Simran claimed her maiden Para Games gold in the women’s 200m T12, clocking a record 24.80 seconds. The sprinter, who has a moderate visual impairment, is rebuilding with guide Shivam after her previous guide, Umar Saifi, was banned for a doping violation. Debutant Tejalben Damor took bronze in 25.23 seconds, drawing confidence from the medal despite her family’s financial struggles.In the men’s combined F51/52/53 discus, Pranav Soorma won gold with an Asian record of 11.66m, while fellow F51 athlete Ram Ratan Singh secured silver with 10.35m. The seated F51 classification involves significant movement limitations in the trunk, legs and hands. Placings in combined classes use the Raza points system, which enables fair comparisons between athletes with different levels of impairment.Devender Kumar completed another Indian gold in the men’s F44/64 discus, throwing 49.71m. Rakesh won silver and Pardeep Kumar bronze, giving India all three medals. F44 athletes compete without a prosthesis, while F64 athletes use one.India’s other silver medals came through Preeti Pal in the women’s 200m T35 and Pradeep Kumar in the men’s javelin F53/54, where his personal-best throw of 27.45m earned him second place. Ayush Verma added bronze in the same event.Bronze medals also went to Praveen Sharma in the men’s shot put F11 and Hokato Hotozhe Sema in the men’s shot put F56/57 events.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.